April 16, 2003
Blood Tests and Insulin Injections
Question from Buenos Aires, Argentina:
I am 19 years old and have a 17 year old brother, and both of us have type 1 diabetes. I have been reading the information about the GlucoWatch line of meters, and while I’ve been browsing through the CWD forum and D-Team sections of the site, plus some other websites. I still don’t feel that I have conclusive answers to some concerns and/or issues.
To start with, many reports that turn up in CWD’s keyword search are from over a year ago. That got me a little mixed up in following the developments and improvements of the meter chronologically, especially in issues such as the market price of meter and sensors (US market) and age group restrictions. I’ve read reports saying that the GlucoWatch is not suitable for those under the age of 18 and some that say it is suitable for people as young as seven. Also, my brother has some trouble keeping up with a four readings per day regimen, so I would like to know if the GlucoWatch is really an advantage over other meters which work great for myself in that respect.
Answer:
I think the first thing to understand about the GlucoWatch is that it is not a device to use every day, although it has an important role in mapping a changing situation ( e.g., looking for nocturnal hypoglycemia, for hypoglycemia unawareness, during illness or at times when there has been a change in diet or insulin regimen). For day to day monitoring, you and your brother might do better with one of the new Alternate Site Testing devices.
The GlucoWatch II is also quite expensive ($700) with an additional $7 for each Biographer sensor pad, which of course lasts only for one 13 hour period. The device is now approved for both adults and children over the age of seven. Other improvements over the first generation include a two-hour rather than a three-hour equilibration period and a significant improvement in missed readings and calibration failures.
DOB
[Editor’s comment: See also Study Demonstrates Benefits of GlucoWatch in Kids, which includes a link to the full text of the study.
JSH]
